Means for facilitating warp change in looms.



. A. E. RHOADES.

MEANS FOR FAGILITATING WARP CHANGE IN LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED we. 24, 1908.

91 6,596. Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

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ALONZO E. RHOADES, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

MEANS FOR FACILITATING WARP GRANGE IN LOOIl/IS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March Sr), 1909.

Application filed August 24, 1908. Serial No. 449,921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo E. linoanns, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an improvement in Means for Facilitating \Varp Changes in Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the pro duct-ion of means for facilitating a change of the warp in a loom, either when a warp has been substantially run off and a new one is to be substituted, or when a certain amount has been run OE and for any reason it is de sired to change the warp.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with warp-stop-motion mechanism wherein so-called hair-pin dctectors are used, which are adapted to be dropped upon the warp threads and hang suspended therefrom.

When a warp is run oil it is the common practice to substitute a new warp the threads of which have been drawn in through the harnesses and reed, and the detectors must then be applied, involving time and expense in both operations.

By means of my present invention I am enabled to obviate a great deal of the ex pense and to materially reduce the time required to effect a change of warp. So, too, if a warp is to be laid aside temporarily before it has been complctel run otl' my invention is of value, as it enab es such warp to be removed with its detectors intact and in readiness for operation whenever such warp is again placed in a loom.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoincd specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a transverse section of a portion of a loom with a common form of warp-stopmotion applied thereto, to illustrate the general mode of operation of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the stop-motion mechanism, centrally broken out, with the removable means for retaining the detectors on the threads when the warp is removed; Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2, looking toward the ri 'ht, with the detector retaining means in pace ready to be secured; Fig. 4 is a similar view shoving the said means secured to the separablo portions of the detector supports, and holding the detectors in cooperation with their warp threads; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the removable retaining device or cap shoun at the upper part of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1 A is the lay having a reed A, If and H are the harnesses, L and L the leaserods loosely mounted in sockets L in the brackets L sustained on stands A on the loom-sides; (Z, (Z are drop devices or dctcctors of the well known hair-pin type, slotted longitudinally from their loner ends and dropped upon the warp threads, being shown arranged in two parallel banks or series between the lease-rods, a released detector cooperating with the fceler F to effect loom stoppage in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. A warp rest (Z' extends across the loom substantially at the crossing point of the two divisions w, w of the warp, and a transverse uiding support is extended loosely through fire slots of each series of detectors. licrctoforc this support has been made as a single ilat bar or plate set i in upright position and fixed at its ends in the brackets L but herein each support is preforably made in separable upper and lower sections 1, 2, the lower section 1 being fixedly secured while the top section 2 normally rests upon it and enters easily the recessed portion L of each bracket L see Fig. 2, each section 2 having a hole 3 near each end.

A removable retaining member or cap is shown in Fig. 2, and preferably comprises end castings 4 internally recessed at 5, see dotted lines Figs. 2 and 5, each casting having a central slot 6 in its end, and a body portion 7 preferably made of wood and fitted into the recesses 5 and permanently secured by screws 8, the body having a central longitudinal slot or channel 9 which registers with the slots 6. A air of cars 10 depends from each casting 4 at each side of the slot (5, the ears being laterally positioned to slip onto the top sections 2 of the two supports, and to be detach-ably connected therewith by suitable means, as for instance the screws 11, Figs. 3 and 4, which are passed through holes 12 in the ears and through the holes 3 in the sections 2, and said holes 3 may be threaded to retain the connecting screws, or

the holes 12 may be threaded as is most convenient. On its under side the body 7 is provided with a pluraltiy of relatively shallow, longitudinal seats 13, corresponding in number and lateral spacing to the banks or series of detectors, and as I have herein shown two of such banks the body has two seats. Let it be supposed that the warp has been practically run off and it is desired to substitute a new warp. The lease-rods L, L are removed, and the retaining member or cap 4, 7 is applied to the detectors so that their heads enter the seats 13, as in full lines Fig. 3, the cars 10 embracing the top sections 2, so that the holes 12 therein register with the holes 3, and the detachable connections 11 are applied. Now the top sections and the cap are fixedly connected, and can be removed bodily as a unit from the loom, as the sections 2 can be lifted from the recessed parts L of the end brackets, and by reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that the detectors are practically locked between the cap and said sections and in cooperation with their warp threads. Before removing the parts shown in Fig. i the warp is out in front of the reed and back of the detectors, and the ends brought together and loosely knotted together, the reed and harnesses being detached from their normal supports. The reed, harnesses, cap and top sections, and the two banks of detectors can now be removed together, and set up in a suitable frame or support and the ends of the new warp can be tied onto the ends of the old piece of warp, after which the new beam is set in the loom and the other parts positioned. The retaining cap is now removed,

and the lease-rods inserted, and by turning the loom ahead the tied ends of the new warp will be drawn through the detectors, harnesses and reed as the old ends are pulled forward.

It will be seen that the operation of drawing-in as commonly practiced is entirely obviated, and further, that the detectors assume their proper relations to the new warp without requiring individual application, so that much time and considerable expense is saved. Should it be desired to take a warp on? a loom the first part of the described procedure is followed, except that the warp is not out behind the detectors, and the removed warp, harnesses, reed and detectors can be laid aside indefinitely or applied to another loom, the retaining cap and top sections of the supports remaining locked together while the warp is out of use. The slots 6 and 9 in the retaining member receive the warp rest (Z when said member is applied, as is shown in Fig. 3, and it will be manifest that the ears 10 at the opposite ends of a series of detectors prevent the latter from sliding endwise off the section 2.

I have shown the device arranged for cooperation with a warp-stop-motion having the detectors arranged in two banks, but obviously a difierent number of banks can be accommodated by making the corresponding number of seats in the bottom of the retaining member or cap. When the latter is clamped in operative position to the top sections 2 the warp threads are held between the upper edges of such sections and the upper ends of the slots in the detectors, firmly enough to prevent pulling out of the threads but not tightly enough to pinch or cut them.

I prefer to make the transverse supports for the detectors in separable parts, as the handling is thereby facilitated and the lower part, which forms a back-stop for a released detector when engaged by the feeler, can be permanentiy secured in place in the loom.

ltiy invention is not restricted to the pre cise construction and arrangement shown and described herein, as the same may be modified or rearran ed in different particulars by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims appended hereto.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a loom, a series of warp-stop-motion detectors of the hair-pin type adapted to be hung on the warp threads, a transverse guiding support for the detectors, having a separable top section, a removable cap adapted to be applied to said top section to hold the detectors thereon, and temporary connections between said section and the cap, whereby said parts and the detectors may be removed bodily from the loom without unthreading the detectors.

2. In a warp-stop-motion for looms, a series of detectors slotted longitudinally from their lower ends and adapted to be hung on the warp threads, a two-part supporting member extended through the slots, one part being permanently mounted in the loom and the other part being removable, and means temporarily attachable to the removable part to fit over the heads of and hold the detectors upon the removable part of said sup porting member and permit removal of the same from the loom while maintaining the detectors strung upon the warp threads.

3. In a warp-stop-motion for looms, a series of hair-pin detectors hung upon the warp threads, a support upon which the detectors are vertically movable, said support having a separable section, and a retaining member or cap temporarily attachable to said section and removable from'the loom therewith, said cap having a seat to receive the heads of the detectors and retain them on the removable section and in cooperation with their warp threads, whereby the warp and the detectors may be removed bodily from the loom.

4. In a warp-stop-motion for looms, a plurality of series of detectors of the hair-pin I warp threads while permitting bodily retype hung upon the warp threads, a transverse supporting device for each series, removably mounted in the loom, means to extend above and simultaneously engage the up er ends of the detectors in said series and he d them on their supporting devices, and detachable connections between said means and the supporting devices, whereby the detectors, with said means and the supporting device, may be removed bodily from the loom and retained in cooperation with the warp threads.

5. In a warp stop-motion for looms, a plurality of banks or series of hair-pin detectors adapted to be dropped upon the warp threads and hang suspended therefrom, a two-part separable support for the detectors of each series, a cap having seats for the heads of the detectors of the several series, and means to detachably and temporarily connect the cap and one member of each support, to hold the detectors in place on their moval from the loom.

6. In a loom, a plurality of banks of hairpin detectors adapted to be dropped upon the warp threads, a support for each bank, extended through the detectors and having a separable top section, means to fit over the heads of the detectors oi the several banks and confine them on the separable top scetions, and detachable connections between the latter and said means, whereby the latter, said sections and the banks of detectors may be removed bodily from the loom while the detectors are maintained in engagement with their warp threads.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO E. RI-IOADES.

l Vitnesses:

ERIC AUDETTE, EDWARD DANA OSGOOD. 

